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Selling the Stingray, Keeping the Jazz - thoughts?

#61
Lots of basses come and go but there are 3 I won't sell. P , J and Ray... Im doing a bit of recording for different projects/bands so I need them all in different situations.

On stage I go for P or Ray 99% of the time

Edit: sold my Spector a couple years ago... Should not have done that. I need to get a Spector now. My point is; if they're good players you should keep them both
 
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#63
I really enjoy jazz basses and I really enjoy Stingray Specials. But the only H stringray I'd own would be 5H 3 tonal options or maybe the short scale since it has more than a single pup tonal option. A single 4H would get boring to me after a while. Do you have other Basses? If not I'd hold onto it. But that's just me
 
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#64
Always thought I wanted a single H stingray but wanted the slim neck and ordered a Sterling. While waiting for it, got a fender jazz performer, and immediately fell in love with it, smooth and solid fundamental notes, there are so many different tones you get with 2 volume knobs. When the Sterling finally arrived, I was excited for a while, but grew tired of the mid forward Sterling tone, and put it up for sale. In the end, both were traded for a dingwall NG3 .

CBFFE1BC-A2F6-4C66-827E-725D243DDA56.jpeg
 
#69
Mike Vee said:
I have been struggling with which of these basses to keep for quite some time, months in fact, and today I have made a decision - keep the Jazz bass. I am not keeping both, so please do not suggest that. It's not possible for space reasons in my apartment, and financial reasons - just bought a $3500 puppy, amongst other reasons. I do not want too many basses. Just a P-bass and one other.

2006 Stingray: (8.6 lbs)
View attachment 5045795

2011 American Special Jazz Bass: (8.5 lbs)
View attachment 5045796

2023 Mini Aussiedoodle: (9.2 lbs as of today)
View attachment 5045797

Throughout my decision making process, I kept telling myself "keep the Stingray." It looks cooler, it's mint condition, it's a very rare lightweight 8.6 lbs. example, it's a natural finish, it's made better than the Fender, it's worth more money, etc. But, man, it just doesn't play or sound as good as the jazz!! The Stingray is harder to setup, it's just finicky. It has a sweet spot but it's small. Too low, fret buzz, too high, very hard to play. the tone is also somewhat hard to get right, and I only love it on certain days.

The jazz bass just plays like butter no matter what and it sooooo easy to adjust. It sets-up way lower without buzz. It's more versatile. The neck width feels better. Everything just feels and sounds better. Yea, we all wish we could pickup a Stingray and sound like Bernard Edwards, but I just simply don't. But when I pickup that Jazz, that organic Fender sound INSPIRES me to play, and I really do play at my best on this Jazz!

Am I crazy to sell the SR???
Click to expand...

I was in a similar spot, but I let go my Jazz basses. I had several, but a couple of japanese 75RI, one in 60s spacing (yeah, weird, but genuine) and one in 70s spacing, that were such nice basses... but I just found the Stingray suited me much better. I no longer own a Jazz, just a very battered '94 Korean Squier. Not sorry.

It sounds like your Stingray is a great bass, but not to your preference. I doubt you'll miss it, even if it feels hard to let it go.
 
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#72
Mike Vee said:
I consider myself to be amazing at setups. I’ve tried with and without several shims. The “pro” will just raise the action and say ok now it doesn’t buzz…for $100. Been down that road way too many times. I have never met a pro that considers ultra low bass setups appropriate. When you like super super low action, you must learn to set up yourself. My P and J Have flawless setups. The Stingray just can’t go as low with TIs. For some reason they are more floppy on the Stingray. They feel a lot more stiff on the jazz bass.
Click to expand...
You should try a StingRay Special. I pretty much play flats exclusively. I have TI flats on my BFR Fretless. The my other 2 StingRay5 Specials wear Ernie Ball Super Slinky Cobalt Flats.
 
#73
BobKos said:
Over the years I have gone through a pile of Stingrays and as stated previously, they did not sound good at all in MY hands. I tried really hard to like them. I gave up on them and I currently own a pile of Jazz Basses. They work much better for me.
Click to expand...
This was the story of my life. I’ve always wanted a StingRay. Started on a P because that was affordable . Moved to a Jazz . Still wanted a StingRay. Bought many basses with MusicMan style pickups that just didn’t get THAT sound. Finally bought Sterling SUB’s and USA made StingRay 2band . My all time dream bass.
As much as I tried I couldn’t sound right on them. 3 band was too aggressive. Those big slab bodies and thick necks were not at all comfortable. I had to face facts. They were too heavy and not a good fit for me.
I just always felt like I was struggling against and fighting the instrument. That’s why I couldn’t get a good sound out of them. But in the right players hands, these basses had everything that I liked about a PBass and a Jazz.

So I vowed never to go down that road again. Until the Specials were introduced . Now they are all I want to play. Fit me like a glove.
 
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#74
Mike Vee said:
I have been struggling with which of these basses to keep for quite some time, months in fact, and today I have made a decision - keep the Jazz bass. I am not keeping both, so please do not suggest that. It's not possible for space reasons in my apartment, and financial reasons - just bought a $3500 puppy, amongst other reasons. I do not want too many basses. Just a P-bass and one other.

2006 Stingray: (8.6 lbs)
View attachment 5045795

2011 American Special Jazz Bass: (8.5 lbs)
View attachment 5045796

2023 Mini Aussiedoodle: (9.2 lbs as of today)
View attachment 5045797

Throughout my decision making process, I kept telling myself "keep the Stingray." It looks cooler, it's mint condition, it's a very rare lightweight 8.6 lbs. example, it's a natural finish, it's made better than the Fender, it's worth more money, etc. But, man, it just doesn't play or sound as good as the jazz!! The Stingray is harder to setup, it's just finicky. It has a sweet spot but it's small. Too low, fret buzz, too high, very hard to play. the tone is also somewhat hard to get right, and I only love it on certain days.

The jazz bass just plays like butter no matter what and it sooooo easy to adjust. It sets-up way lower without buzz. It's more versatile. The neck width feels better. Everything just feels and sounds better. Yea, we all wish we could pickup a Stingray and sound like Bernard Edwards, but I just simply don't. But when I pickup that Jazz, that organic Fender sound INSPIRES me to play, and I really do play at my best on this Jazz!

Am I crazy to sell the SR???
Click to expand...
I’ve owned Stingrays, Jazz basses and I have a very expensive pup. I believe you chose wisely. The jazz is more versatile and easier to play. The only thing you did wrong was tell TB how much you paid for your dog. I scrolled just to see how many would shame you for not getting a rescue.

We have a Cavapoo that was purchased during the lockdowns a few months after our precious Yorkie was killed by a neighbor’s rescue dog. We paid a premium for our new pup and have zero regrets (still less expensive than a couple of my basses).

All dogs are precious, whether they’re a rescue or a breeder purchase. Yes, there are some very cruel practices with puppy mills and such. The people running those places should be locked up, not supported. But in the end, the doggos all need homes. I’m hope, like us, you dealt with a reputable breeder.

Enjoy that pup! And rock the jazz!
 
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#75
Beautiful puppy! I hope he/she has a long, happy and healthy life.

I understand. I'm with Fross, above. I've had 5 SRs since 1989. They are iconic, but I keep going back to the J bass.
I do have a SR type bodied bass, made by Bernie Goodfellow, with Status neck and Lane
Poor pickup. I just can't quite get what I want out of a SR... actually, I've just never bonded
with one, although I respect them and the way they sound in mix and in other peoples
hands.

That said, I do have a new SR 5 Special, which seems to have addressed most of
the SR issues that I've had over the years. I'll see how it works out over the next few months.
I hope it will be a keeper.

But, I have a P and 3 Jazz basses (none Fender) in various configurations. I had a really nice
Elite Fender J a few years ago and a nice '73 in alder, 4 bolt, etc. that I really liked, so I don't
hate Fenders by any means, I just like my J basses built by someone else, usually.

That all said, I don't know if I only had two basses, if I personally would have both a P and a
J, sound wise. I know, they play quite differently to each other and can sound different, but
I think they can also sound quite similar to each other, in a band context.

Just my $.02 worth. Congrats on the puppy.
 
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